Friday, January 11, 2019 11:50 am

Budget proposal would end Amtrak line subsidy

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Eric Holcomb's proposed state budget would end Indiana's annual subsidy for an Amtrak line that runs between Indianapolis and Chicago.

Under the Republican governor's proposed budget, the Hoosier State Line would no longer receive $3 million in annual state support after June 30, 2019.

Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton told WFIU-FM he was surprised by Holcomb's proposal to end funding for the Indianapolis-to-Chicago passenger line, which has stops in Crawfordsville, Lafayette, Rensselaer and Dyer.

Amtrak took over the line's operations in 2017 after a private contractor ended its deal to run the trains about concerns it wasn't making enough money from a deal with Amtrak and the Indiana Department of Transportation.